The old bridge across the River Derwent that is shown in the picture
above was mounted on two large iron poles, much like the one
which used to cross the Derwent near the Boat House.
It was eventually replaced by the modern colour works bridge
which was erected by the Butterley Company[1].
There was a bridge across the river in about 1835[1] (shown
on Sanderson's map[2)
and it is quite possible the bridge was there for quite a while
before then. Mr. Cardin, for example, would have needed a bridge
to provide access for visitors to the Side Mine.
Just showing through the trees on the right is the colour works which
provided regular, rather than seasonal, employment for locals.
According to Mr. D Palmer Pearson, writing in the early twentieth
century, mining operations at the Side Mine finished in 1844 when
Mr. Bouthman of Manchester gave up his attempt to unwater the
lower reaches of those old workings which reach up towards Starkholmes.
The hole at the back of the colour works didn't, it is believed,
follow any groove or ore bearing rock but was the means of draining
the workings generally and continued for 400 yards. The island
on which the colour works stands is composed of the mine waste
which Mr. Bouthman extracted (although there must have been something
to work from originally). He erected a water wheel of 80 hp, capable
of raising 1000 gallons an hour, together with the weir and goit
which was lined with clay
"brought in boats by the Cromford Canal" - Mr. Pearson
doesn't explain, though, how they got over Masson Weir[2].
The land and power source was subsequently taken over by Frederick
Stevens to grind barytes for the paint industry and this was a
perfect site for that purpose it was as there was both power and
there must have been piles of barytes in the old mine hillocks.
The site became available just as the paint industry was demanding
the cheap alternative to white lead. Mr. Hare (senior), who was
the manager at High Tor Colour works in 1969, told Colin Goodwyn
that paint works owners were said to raise their hats to piles
of barytes in respect and in recognition of the money they made
by not using lead[2]!
Eric Hare had come to the High Tor Colour Company in 1946 as Works
Manager. His responsibilities later extended to include the Via
Gellia Colour Company and by the time of his retirement in in the
late 1970s he was a Director of the firm[3].
There are several references to the Wheel elsewhere on this web
site:
Panorama of Matlock (1827) - see the section on Caverns.
Gem of the Peak
(1840) see The north
entrance to Matlock Dale | Caverns
and Mines in 1840.
Wolley Manuscripts: 6669
ff.256-258 | 6671 ff.310-313.
There is also more on site information about the Colour Works
and its owners:
Frederick Stevens
was living in the Dale in the 1851
census.
Thomas and Frederick
William Stevens are listed in various onsite transcripts of trade
directories: White's 1862 Directory | Kelly's
1864 Directory | Kelly's 1876
Directory | Kelly's 1891
Directory.
Kelly's
1895 Directory lists Ginger Edward Stanbridge, barytes & color
manufacturer, Matlock Dale.
The
1901 census shows George Henry Key of 3 Midland terrace as
manager.
Via Gellia Paint & Colour Co.
is listed as the owners of the works in
Kelly's 1899 Directory | Kelly's 1908
Directory | Kelly's 1912
Directory | Kelly's
1916 Directory.
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One of the Artistic Series, A.P. Co., 9 Bury Court, St. Mary Axe,
London, E.C. No.1957. Exact date difficult as the card is not postmarked
but first postal date known for their cards is now 1905 (see both
Via Gellia,
Tufa Cottage on this website and list
of postcard publishers elsewhere on the Internet which supplies
the date of 1909)
Postcard in the collection of, provided by and © Ann Andrews.
Written, researched by and © Ann Andrews.
Intended for personal use only
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References (coloured
hyperlinks are to transcripts elsewhere on this website):
[1] A stereo view of the old colour works
bridge can be seen on the page of "Just
Dale" images and the Butterley Company's Bridge is shown
in an image a little higher up on the
same page.
[2] Information
supplied and researched by Colin Goodwyn. With very grateful thanks.
[3] Information from Pauline Jordan, with
equally grateful thanks.
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